Thank you to everyone for coming over to our new Facebook page and LIKE-ing us. As an extended thank you, I’ll post up even more exclusive Troegs Hershey photos. First up I couldn’t resist posting up my personal photo from the entry to the new facility standing under what I predict will become one of the most famous places to have your photo taken. Short of perhaps the Grand Canyon and Golden Gate Bridge, the Nugget Nectar wall at Troegs will be numero uno. NOTE TO CHRIS, JOHN & ED: Start collecting visitor photos now to make an even more amazing wall mural!

Up next we have a few photos from the self-guided tour area. Of course it ends with oak barrels, but it really gives you a peek at what goes into making a Troegs beer…and yes be sure to take a beer with you as you tour…in fact there are even tables back there if you want to enjoy a beer near the oak.

Next we have a peek behind the public tour area at some of the conical fermenters and the milling area. The milling area is pretty amazing. It may be a touch hard to see because the photo was taken from the upper level of the milling room, but the bag you’re looking at is actually a huge 2-story cloth-like silo for grain. Apparently the township doesn’t allow outdoor grain silos, so everything is indoor and there are several of these bad boys in the room. What’s also very cool here is that the blue frame not only supports the grain silo. but also weighs it. The control panel you see allows the guys to weigh the grain in the silo and I can attest that it was sensitive enough to record my weight (in kilograms) when I sat on the frame. Very cool.

And last..but certainly NOT least…is a little peek at the BrauKon 100bbl control console on the upper deck. No real technical details or secrets here, but if you look in the lower left corner you’ll see what it was setup to brew. Thanks again to everyone at Troegs….still more photos to come so keep LIKE-ing the new Facebook Page!

I thought you’d all want a little bonus Halloween label fun, so today we have Uptown Girl Premium Light Beer. It comes to us from Rhinelander Brewery (via Uptown Girl Beverage Co) and what’s perhaps most interesting here is that this normal looking label, is really disguising a 7oz beer…but no worries…it only has 57 calories, it’s union-made and “cool to the last drop!”

Who could resist posting a new label from our friends at Butternuts Beer…especially on Halloween. Today we have the spooky Spider Bite - First Bite Pale Ale. This is a keg-only release and appears to be a contract brew for the first release from new Long Island, NY upstart Spider Bite Beer Co. Look for First Bite to be a 6.5% ABV Pale Ale using American hops, and watch for some of their other beers to possibly be released in the future (Double IPA, French Saison, Madagascar Vanilla Bean Coconut Stout, Maple Porter, Milk Stout, GCF Russian Imperial Stout.)

Markell is joining famed Dogfish Head brewer Sam Calagione for the unveiling of Delaware Native Ale.

Calagione worked with state economic development and agricultural official to make a truly Delaware-centric ale, which will be available only on tap in limited supplies after its unveiling Monday.

The ale was made with barley milled at the 18th-century Abbott's mill near Milford, and Dogfish worked with fourth-generation farmer Bobby Fifer of Fifer Orchards near Dover to capture wild yeast to ferment the ale.

Fifer also contributed fruit to flavor the ale, while University of Delaware experts helped sequence the DNA of the yeasts to find the best strain, which Markell declared to be the first Honorary State Yeast.

It’s a quiet day so I thought you’d want a peek at the newest Twisted Tea (Sam Adams Cincinnati, OH) label featuring our very own Manayunk, PA’s Mike L & Bob P. This is part of the “Be a Little Twisted” consumer submitted photo campaign…one of 19 new labels released today. I particularly like Scott K from Hermitage, PA

30 October 2011

When I was growing up we always had one neighbor who pulled a wagon with him as he took his children trick-or-treating. As a youngin’ I was too preoccupied with my quest for candy to pay much attention to what was he was lugging. I just assumed he might need to tote some candy when the haul got too heavy. Now, as an adult, I recognize his brilliance. The Radio Flyer was his very own Brew Pub on Wheels.

As the kids were amassing goodies, the adults were enjoying a few treats of their own. Genius!

Back in 1990, the good folks at Hershey told us “there’s no wrong way to eat a Reese’s.” We agree with that sentiment entirely! Here’s our suggestion for one right way to eat one: pair it with Festbier. The malt used in our Festbier has a sweetness and roastiness that gives it a peanut butter character which pairs perfectly with the delectable treat from Reese’s.

Storm King Stout + Tootsie Roll

I remember scoffing at Tootsie Rolls on Halloween as a kid. The little midgees were weak in comparison to the coveted Reese’s mentioned above. But, in my adulthood, I’ve come to appreciate the goodness packed in that little wrapper. Pair the chocolatey taffy treat with a big beer like Storm King Stout and you’ve got a powerful pairing. Like our Russian Imperial Stout, Tootsie’s got a toasted edge to it. There’s more at play here than just sweetness. The burnt chocolatey undertones of the midgee paired with the roasted malt in our Storm King make for a dark and intriguing tempest of flavor.

HopDevil IPA + Candy Corn

Pairing the most widely available Halloween candy with our most popular beer makes perfect sense. Not only can you track down both of these goodies with ease, but the complementary flavors are a no-brainer. The caramel sweetness evident in both the sugary kernels and the devilish ale meld wonderfully when enjoyed together.

Golden Monkey + Almond Joy

Almond Joy’s got nuts, Monkey’s don’t because, sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don’t! Actually, this pairing has nothing to do with the almonds. It’s the coconut in the candy and the banana notes in the Golden Monkey that make this a joyful duo. Both boast tropical fruit flavors that work well together. (If you aren’t feeling nutty, Mounds is a simple substitute for this pairing suggestion.)

V-Twelve + Sweet Tarts

Pucker up for a brilliant combination of sweet and sour. The fruitiness and sweetness found in our V-Twelve balance perfectly with the aptly named candies.

With these suggestions in mind, I encourage you to load up your wagon, snag some of your kiddos’ candy and Taste Victory!

29 October 2011

Just in case you missed the announcement on yesterday’s WILK Friday BeerBuzz… Not only are they working on some new beers like Coal Cracker, Susquehanna Suds, Extra Goldies and Phoebe Snow…the guys tell me they are aiming to have the new tap/tasting room at the new facility on Northampton St in Wilkes-Barre Twp. OPEN by the end of the year….Very exciting news so stay tuned for details & Updates!

AND don’t forget to visit the Teach a Friend to brew Day to be held Nov 5th from 10AM-4PM @ Breaker Brewing to take a peek at their new facility for yourself!

It’s been a busy label week…(and NO the lack of a UPS symbol is not why 75-min IPA was surrendered!) Up tonight is the very exciting Dogfish Head Noble Rot (ale brewed with grape must & with grape must added.) This big 9% ABV 750ml bottle “sorta-saison” was brewed with Alexandria Nicole Cellars using “botrytis-infected Viognier grape must (thus the noble rot moniker)!

We saw the new BPA label last week, so it’s exciting to see the new packaging for Brewery Ommegang Three Philosophers & Witte packaging. Same great beers…new packaging…and yes you’ll see more coming soon.

28 October 2011

Thank you to Chris @ Lakefront Brewery for sharing a sneak peek at a new series of 22oz bottled beers coming out of Lakefront Brewery called “My Turn".” This unique series of beers will come out about 5-7 times a year. The staff at Lakefront will each get a “turn” to craft a beer they’ve always wanted to brew. Up first is Dan, and Dan made a Baltic Porter (6.5% ABV.) It’s also interesting to note that Dan is the “tax & compliance/transportation Manager” @ Lakefront and there’s a great bio about Dan on the label AND some great details on the beer….and it sounds tasty.

Up next in the series will be Brad, but no details on Brad’s recipe just yet so stay tuned!! The first "My Turn" will hit shelves the second week of November in 22oz bottles & draft.

I really love having our local home brewers join us on the Friday BeerBuzz….after all, the home brew clubs are the genesis not only for some amazing beers, but also for some future professional brewers. We’ve had the Wyoming Valley Home brewers join us before, so I was excited to welcome back Chuck Yarmey, but it was also fun to have Sean & Christina Wolfe from the Scranton Brewers Guild as well….and of course EVERYONE was in costume for Halloween!

The guys were with us to support the upcoming Teach a Friend to Brew Day, Nov 5th from 10AM-4PM. The event will be held at the new Breaker Brewing Co (Northampton & Lehigh St—Wilkes-Barre) and it will feature home brewing demonstrations, and all sorts of great info from the Scranton Brewers Guild, Wyoming Valley Home Brewers, Waldorf Beer Club, Tunkhannock Homebrew Club & Saaz Scranton club. Don’t forget, if you stop by you’ll also get a peek at the new Breaker Brewing facility in Wilkes-Barre Twp.

Speaking of Breaker Brewing, it was also a LOT of fun to break out the news about their new beers Coal Cracker, Susquehanna Sudds, Goldies Extra and maybe even Phoebe Snow…BUT perhaps the big breaking news of the day is that Breaker Brewing is aiming to have their Tap/Tasting room OPEN by the end of the year! Congratulations guys….I can’t wait!

We had a great time sampling the Pumpkin Stein Beer the guys brewed as well as the other home brews. Stein (German for Stone) beers use hot rocks to boil the wort, and how perfect is it for our Halloween show that the stones they used to brew this pumpkin beer are from head-stones. Cheers to everyone in the clubs that joined us today and helped brew the beers we sampled. I cannot repeat it enough that these guys brew great beers, and you should definitely come out and see for yourself on Nov 5th (10AM-4PM).

Up today is the final packaging for the Cigar City Brewing / The Bruery co-brewed Dos Costas Oeste (which translates to “two west coast”.) This 9%ABV “High gravity ale with coriander, ginger & sweet orange peel, aged on grapefruit (or lemon) wood spirals” will be bottled in the traditional 750ml Cigar City bottles. Apparently the “two west coasts” refer to the west coast of Florida and the west coast of the US….and as such there will be TWO labels (one for grapefruit, one for lemon)

27 October 2011

I’m a big fan of our very own Breaker Brewing Co…and it’s always fun to see what Mark Lehman & Chris Miller are up to…and today we have a little surprise….keg-only label approvals for Coal Cracker & Susquehanna Suds! Stay tuned for details on these two new beers!

I was excited to see our friend Brian O’Reilly from Sly Fox Brewing release a new CANNED beer. Up today we have your first peek at Sixten Working-Class Farmhouse Ale. Sixten is named after the area code for Royersford PA (610) and it will be packaged in 12oz cans.

Rare Beer Club Selections: November 2011

Telegraph Brewing Company (Santa Barbara, California) – Winter Ale

Brian Thompson’s passion for beer developed as an undergrad in the Bay Area during the early 90s. Like many brewers before him, he had picked up a dangerous habit: homebrewing. Which eventually led to him abandoning his original career as a publisher and financial analyst, to commit to even more hardcore behavior: professional brewing. He eventually opened Telegraph Brewing in Santa Barbara, whose beers combine the best of the Belgian, English, and American brewing traditions. As Brian puts it, “We like to think that all of our beers exemplify everything that is great about life in Santa Barbara and on the Central Coast.”

Winter Ale has very limited distribution; in fact, we picked up just about all of the bottles for this year’s vintage—being at one of the limited California pubs that will have a keg, or stopping by the brewery for a taste, are just about the only other ways to get this beer other than being a member of the Rare Beer Club. Part of the inspiration for this beer is Mexican-style hot chocolate. You’ll get that in the chocolate malt notes, but also from the whole cinnamon sticks and ground ancho chili peppers in the recipe. Allspice and cloves are also in the mix, as well as another spice or two being kept secret by the brewery. The brew pours a very dark burgundy brown color, with a well-proportioned tan head that laces nicely. The nose is full of rich winter ale spice notes. Only one type of hop is used in this brew, Northern Brewer, and a lot of the wood-oil aromatics seem to be coming from the hops. Also look for notes of melon, plums, and a spiced, almost gingery edge. The palate is equally complex, offering up flavors like plums, ginger, cocoa, licorice, cinnamon, and cloves. Eucalyptus and suggestions of camphor develop, along with some cannabis-like notes in the middle and into the finish. The beer wraps up with a rise in toasted malts and pepper as the beer comes up in temperature. This one has a very lengthy finish, with the chilies making their presence known in a subtle fashion, as a lingering but very gentle sweet pepper spice. Happy Holidays!

Brasserie Fantôme (Soy, Belgium) – Magic Ghost

Brasserie Fantôme has come to represent unabashed creative freedom of expression and earned itself a reputation for being, well, borderline insane. Between the ghost stories, the wild variation from beer to beer, being exceptionally guarded about what spices have been used in the recipes, or experimenting to the point of acute eccentricity, you can maybe understand why some people think there may be a madman involved. Well that madman is brewer Dany Prignon, who uses local ingredients and herbs, spicing his numerous farmhouse ale variants with such skill and panache that people have been taking notice since the brewery was founded in 1988.

Magic Ghost is brewed with green tea and who knows how many other herbs, and – we’re just going to come out and say it – it’s green. Yes, you read that right, it’s green in color. On the nose, we got notes of raspberries, nectarines, lemon, and lime, with a delicate spiciness as well. As it warms, notes of green tea really take hold and suggestions of ginger ale develop. Aside from prominent fruit notes, expect a sturdy backdrop of “saison-ness”. The flavor starts with a malty, citrusy sweetness that almost instantly is supplanted by a balancing tartness, and finishes refreshingly dry. When melded with the acidity, the fruity character helps to give distinct notes of granny smith apples. In the finish, expect a nice, clean wheaty twang and dryness, with almost no alcohol detected. Check out the PDF newsletter for the full scoop as this is a very complex beer with quite a lot going on. Cheers!

Here’s a new one from the guys at Great Divide (Denver, CO). Up today we have Nomad Pilsner. “Nomad is our spin on the classic Bohemian Pilsner style. The journey starts with German malts & Saaz hops that offer a lively floral nose & crispness, while a full 5 weeks of lagering time ensures that Nomad is eminently balanced—12oz bottles”)

Here’s your first look at the previously draft-only Farmhouse versions from Jester King Brewing. Up today we have a peek at Farmhouse Black Metal & Farmhouse Wytchmaker Both beers will be package din 750ml bottles and both are different versions of the original. Black Metal was originally 10.4% ABV and the farmhouse version will be 8.2% ABV, Wytchmaker was originally 6.%-6.8% ABV and it will now be higher at 7% ABV. While there are subtle difference in ingredients, the main difference in the Farmhouse versions is the proprietary “Farmhouse yeast” used by Jester King…and yes I suspect we’ll see more Farmhouse versions of their other beers as well.

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